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Started by 'Steady' Eddie Stobart in the 1950s as an agricultural business in Cumbria, the company was incorporated as Eddie Stobart Ltd in the 1970s as a haulage firm, eventually passing to his son, Edward Stobart. After a series of complex takeovers, the Stobart company has developed from a haulage company to an intermodal logistics company, achieving a stock market listing without an IPO through a reverse takeover of the Westbury Property Fund. Following the step down of Edward in 2003, the Stobart family is now represented in the business through Edward's brother William Stobart.

From:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stobart_Group

The business was started Started by 'Steady' Eddie Stobart in the 1950s as an agricultural business in Cumbria. His son, Edward Stobart Junior, was born in Cumberland in England on 21 November 1954 at his parents' house just outside Hesket Newmarket near Carlisle. He was one of four children, with an elder sister Anne, an elder brother John and a younger brother William. He was always called Edward to avoid confusion with his father Eddie. He was very interested in lorries, and when he left school, he started working for his father's contracting business delivering agricultural material in the region. By 1970, the company consisted of three main parts: Fertilizer, Haulage and the Farm shop. The various parts were eventually split up between the family members, with Edward having haulage and the name, Eddie Stobart Ltd.

By 2002 the company was experiencing financial difficulties caused by the fuel crisis. In 2001 the haulage business had posted its first loss, with the fan club making more money than the haulage business.
In November 2003 Edward Stobart sold the group to his brother William and his business partner Andrew Tinkler, who together owned a civil engineering company that specialises in railway maintenance, WA Developments, based in Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria.

In August 2007 the Stobart business gained a stock market listing through the reverse acquisition of Westbury Property Fund Ltd, a commercial property and ports company.
Westbury acquired Eddie Stobart Ltd. from W.A. Developments International for £138M, which was recouped by the sale of £142M of property to W.A. Developments International. The renamed Westbury group then became the stock exchange listed Stobart Group Ltd., with Andrew Tinkler and William Stobart becoming substantial shareholders CEO and COO of Eddie Stobart Limited respectively. The Stobart Air operation, owners of Carlisle Airport, remained outside the enlarged group, still owned by WA Developments.
With the Westbury takeover Stobart gained the Port of Weston in Runcorn. At the same time as the Westbury merger it was announced that the "O'Connor Group" was also being purchased by Westlink, at the time a wholly owned business of Westbury. The O'Connor Group operates a truck fleet of approximately 90 vehicles, offering transmodal road rail services at the 'inland port', Widnes Intermodal Rail Depot.
In March 2007 Westbury had also acquired AHC – a rail terminal operator and storage, facilities handling and transport business – operating on a site adjacent to the O'Connor terminal. Westbury also operated a joint venture, Victa Westlink Rail, between its Westlink subsidiary and Victa Railfreight[

n August 2007 the Stobart business gained a stock market listing through the reverse acquisition of Westbury Property Fund Ltd, a commercial property and ports company.
Westbury acquired Eddie Stobart Ltd. from W.A. Developments International for £138M, which was recouped by the sale of £142M of property to W.A. Developments International. The renamed Westbury group then became the stock exchange listed Stobart Group Ltd., with Andrew Tinkler and William Stobart becoming substantial shareholders CEO and COO of Eddie Stobart Limited respectively. The Stobart Air operation, owners of Carlisle Airport, remained outside the enlarged group, still owned by WA Developments.
With the Westbury takeover Stobart gained the Port of Weston in Runcorn. At the same time as the Westbury merger it was announced that the "O'Connor Group" was also being purchased by Westlink, at the time a wholly owned business of Westbury. The O'Connor Group operates a truck fleet of approximately 90 vehicles, offering transmodal road rail services at the 'inland port', Widnes Intermodal Rail Depot.
In March 2007 Westbury had also acquired AHC – a rail terminal operator and storage, facilities handling and transport business – operating on a site adjacent to the O'Connor terminal. Westbury also operated a joint venture, Victa Westlink Rail, between its Westlink subsidiary and Victa Railfreight[

In May 2007 the Stobart Group was the subject of controversy when it reportedly offered bonuses to its Carlisle based drivers to work in Livingston in Scotland, to transport goods for Tesco who were in dispute with its distribution centre drivers and facing disruption to their supply chain. The Stobart drivers refused to cross the Livingston picket line.

On 4 April 2008 controversy emerged surrounding the proposed developments to Carlisle Airport. In response to 63 apparently overly restrictive planning conditions placed on the development plans of Stobart Air, Andrew Tinkler apparently intended to move the Stobart haulage and warehousing operation out of Carlisle, and move them to Widnes, as a contingency 'plan B', asserting the redevelopment under the proposed condition would not be completed in time. By 8 April talks had proceeded, and centred on ten disputed points. On 10 April it was announced that Andrew Tinkler and Carlisle City Council leader Mike Mitchelson shook hands on a revised list of conditions for the plan. However the plans were called in by the Government and Andrew Tinkler withdrew the application. Subsequently a revised application was submitted and a decision was due in December 2008.
Planning permission was granted in December 2008 for airport expansion and other developments including a resurfaced runway and new terminal, a major transport and distribution facility for Eddie Stobart Ltd, along with a joint headquarters building.

Planning permission given for Carlisle Airport development:-
http://www.englandsnorthwest.com/inv...velopment.html